Hemming attachment for sewing machines



l M M W Home!" Jan; 30, 1923.

A. H. DEVOE. HEMMING ATTAC HMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. FILED Oc'r. 29, I913.

WITNESSES:

Patented Jan. 30, 1923. i

- asso ALBERT n. on VOE, or wns'rrrnm), NEW JERSEY, assrenon ro'rnn $lNGER-1VIANU- rac'ruame COMPANY, A conronarron on NEW JERSEY.

HEMMING ATTACHMENT non snwriire vracnrnns. i

Application filed October 29, 1913. Serial No. 797,9d6.

To aZZ whom it may COILCT'It.

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. De Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVestfield, inthe county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hemming Attachments for Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 4 This invention has for its object to provide a hemming attachment especially adapted for hemming endless circular pieces of work such as the bottoms of knit undershirts and the like more specifically it is desirable to enable a circular hem to be completed with as little manipulation as possible by the operator, dispensingwith the necessity for bodily retraction of the entire hemmer or for removal of goods from the hemmer and subsequent hand directed stitching. The attachment comprises a base member formed with an edge-turning curved wall and provided on its lower face with gulderibs to engage a primary folding member, the latter being adjustably secured to the base member by means ofa thumb-screw. The primary folding member is formed with an upwardly turned, guide-wall provided withan overhanging lip. The upper face -of,the'base member is provided with a channel to receive a grooved block depending from a guide-plate having a lip which normally overhangs the hem cavity. The guide-plate may be retracted to one side of the hem cavity -its depending block sliding within the aforesaid channel ofv the base member for this purpose. The base member is provided with a spring-pressed pin which is adapted to enter the groove formed in the guideblock to preventupwardmovement of the guide-plate; The travellof the guideplate is confined within certain limits by suitablestops.

The base member is rigidly connectedto a supporting post which in the present instance is shown secured to the end of a sewing machine cylinder-armbut it is obvious that the hemmer may-be arranged at the side of the bed-plate for feeding across the arm where the nature of the work to be done would be facilitated by such arrangement, as for instance in completing the circular component parts of the hemmer.

hams on small tubular work such as sleeves,

trousers and thefllikel; Theedge-turningw'all "of the base member projects beyond thebody of said member and is adapted to enter a.

slot formed in th'e throat-plate supported by said cylinder-arm and toextend above said throat-plateslightly to one'side of the line'ofseam. The primary folding member 18 provided with a; projecting U-shap'ed guide tongue 'which overhangs the "cylinderarm and coacts with the projecting wall of the baseinember inguiding the hem to a point within the field of action of the feed-dog.

ence to'the accompanying drawings, in which ments. Fig.2 is a sectional view of the hemf The invention will be understood byreferl is a perspective, view of ajsewingma- I chlne provided with the present improvemer on line ow -a 1. Fig, 3, is a sectional View of the hemmer on line beb Fig. If, and F gs. 4, 5', hand 7,,are detai1 views of the j The hemmer 'is shown hereml applied to the bed-plate of a cylindrical feed-up-thearm machine. The machine is provided with the usual cylindrical end-cap 1 v and ,re-

'movable throat-plate 2 having openings for the passage ofthe needles 3 and "the feed- 'jdog; Thejend of the'cap 1 is provided with the channel 5, to receive the supporting post 6 of'the attachment, the latter being secured to the cap by meansfof ascrewy'f which jasses'through a slot 8 formed inthe post;

threaded apertures formed in the base memhebase memberifl is secured tof'the" post 6. by means of screws 10 which" pass through slots 8*.formedinthe post and enter 1 T he base member 9 is formedfwith an inner curved edge-turning wall 9% and is provided with dependingguide-ribs 11 and 12 adaptedto engagerespectively the side edge 13 of a'primary' folding member 14' and the walls of slot 15 formed invsaid member. The

primary folding member 14 or outerfolding portion ofthe hemmer is adjustably secured to the base member'9 by means ofa set-screw 16 which enters the slot 17 offsaid primary member. H p x t The primary member is formed with an upwardly turnedguide-walll 14 provided affording a work-engaging lip which is readily retractable. Upward movement of the guide-plate isprevented by means of a detent-pin 23 fitted within socket 22 of the base member and pressed outwardly by spring 24 into engagement with depressions 2 3 in a groove 20 formed in block 19*.

"The guide-plate is adapted to be moved to one side thereby opening the top of the hem cavity and permitting the stitching operaftion tojbe continued uninterruptedly up to,

the initial sewing point. This retractive movement is obtained either by the operator engaging a recess 19 in the plate with his thumb or finger or by the initially formed stitchingengaging the inclined front edge "19" on the guide-plate 19 at the receiving end of the hemmer. the pull of the feed on the fabric acting with suificient force on the inclined edge 19" to displace the guide-plate against the light yielding pressure of sprmgpressed detent p1n'23. The guide-plate 19 'is' provided with a depending lug 25 and with a projectingtongue 29 which engage respectively theouter wall of base member 9 and shoulder 26 provided at the upper edge of post 6 whereby the movement of plate 19 i toward and from the overhanging flange 18 of the primary folding member is limited. The bearing support, whereby the lip or plate 19 may be retracted, is afforded by the upper surface of the base member 9 and the walls of the channel 21 which fixed supporting or bearing surfaces are external to the hem-cavity or space embraced between the outer and inner guide-walls and hence pern1it the lip 19 to be shifted to a position removed from the hem-cavity.

In conjunction with each other the primary folding member 14 and the edge-turning wall of basemember 9 form a hem cavity, the width of which is determined by the adjustment of said primary member upon the base member. The guide-plate 19 having a lip is adapted to normally overhang the hem cavity, partially closing the same and serving to support the work and to cooperate with the edge-turning wall 9 in guiding the edge of the work. The primary folding member is provided with a projecting U- Ishaped guide-tongue 27 which cooperates with the projecting portion 28 of the edgeturning wall of base member 9 in guiding thehem within the range of action of the feed-dog, the said projecting members being adapted to overhang the throat-plate of the machine at opposite sides of the line of scam. The base member 9 and guideplate 19 con stitute an inner folding member over which the fabric is adapted to pass.

In the operation of the attachment the edgeof the fabric f is brought over the face of the guide-plate 19 and under the overhanging flange 18 of the primary folding member, thence into engagement with the curved turning wall of the base member 9 which guides the edge back toward the overhanging flange 18 and thereby forms the hem, the position of the fabric being shown in Fig. 2. The lower face of the base memher 9 tapers toward the projection 28, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, thus correspondingly decreasing the area of the edge-turning wall 9 toward its point of delivery. Inasmuch as the overhangingflange 18 of the primary folding member lies slightly above the plane of guide-plate 19 while the lower portion of saidprimary folding member follows the taper of base member9, it will be noted that the area of the hem.cavity decreases toward the delivery end of the attachment. I Further. it will be noted that the guidewall 9* is disposed mainly between the levels of the upper and lower limiting planes of the upwardly turned guide-wall 14;". The inner edge of the folded-over portion of material will thus'be turned inwardly between said folded over portion and the main body portionof the work to form the hem.

When the hem fold is completed. a result accomplished at or shortly before the time theinitial stitchof the seam reaches the guide-plate 19, retraction of guide-plate 19 will expose the hem cavity and permit the initially stitched portion of the hem to pass through the hemmer to the needles, whereupon the work may be withdrawn from the attachment, as will be understood without further explanation.

lVhile the drawings show the preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction therein illustrated. It is obvious that the gist of my invention lies in providing a hemmer'with areadily retractable lip or guide-plate such as that shown at 19 which enables. circular hems to be completed without stopping the stitching mechanism, it being of course immaterial to what the lip is connected, or how the lip is mounted for retractive movement or whether it be movable alone or with other part or parts of the machine so long as the lip is capable of being withdrawn to one side of the stitching line out of the way of the'initially formed stitches when a circular hem is nearing completion.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention. what I claim herein is z- I 1. In a hemmer, a base member provided with an edge-turning wall, a primary folding member carried by said base-member and formed with an upwardly turned guidewall provided'with an overhanging flange on the side thereof toward said edge-turning wall and forming therewith hemcavity open at the top, and a retract-v ing member carried by said base-member and formed with an upwardly turned guidewall provided with an overhanging flange on the side thereof toward said edge-turning wall, a retractible guide-plate mounted upon said base-member with a free edge spaced from that of said flange of the primary member and adapted for movement toward and from said flange and formingwith said baseand primary-members a hem-cavity open at the top, and a spring-detent for maintaining said guide-plate in operative relation with said base-member and primary folding member;

3. In a hemmer comprising a base member formed with a channel in its upper face, a primary folding member adjustably "connected to said base member and forming therewith a hem cavity, a guide-plate overhanging said hem cavity and provided with a grooved block adapted to slide within the channel of said basemember, and means for detaining the block within said channel.

4. In a hemmer comprising a base member formed with channel in its upperface and with an edge-turning wall, a primary folding member adjustably connected to said base member and forming therewith a hem cavity, a guide-plate normally overhanging said hem, cavity and provided with a grooved block adapted to slide within the channel of the base member, and a springpressed detent-pin mountedwithin. the latter and adapted to enter the groove of said block. 5. The combination with a sewingv machine cylinder-arm, of a hemmer carried by said arm and comprising a base member formed with a projecting edge-turning wall overlying said arm, a primary folding member adjustabl connected to the base member and forming therewith-a hem cavity, a rojecting U-shaped guide tongue carried by said folding member and opposed to said edge-turning wall, and a retractible guideplate connected to said base member and normally overlying the hem cavity.

6. In combination with stitch-forming mechanism, a hemmer having a hem-folding cavity defined by an upwardly turned folding wall terminating in an overhanging flange and adapted to: form the outer fold of the hem, an oppositely arranged folding wall and a lip overhanging said last-mentioned wall, said last-mentioned wall being disposed mainly between the levels the; upper and lower limiting planes of the firstmentioned folding wall and adapted to fold in the inner edge of the folded over portion of the hem, said lipbeing lower than said overhanging flange and retractible, whereby stopping the stitch-formingv mechanism.

' v 7. In combination with a stitching mechanism having a needle, a hemmer for turning under the edge of the fabric preparatory to stitching, said hemmer comprising a pria circular hem may be completed without mary folding portion having an upwardly turned guide-wall terminating in an overhanging flange andlocated at one side of the line of stitching, a complemental folding portion over whlch a fabric is adapted to be [passed said last named portion including a lip extending across the line of stitching t ward but terminating shortof said primary folding member, and means wlie-rebysaid -lip may be retracted away from'said flange beyond and on the opposite side of the line of stitching for enabling a circular hem to be completed without stopping, the ma.

chine,

8. In a hemmer adapted for ,use,with stitching mechanism, a-pmmary folding member consisting of an upwardly turned" concave wall terminating in an overhanging flange, a secondary folding member consisting of a-wallffacing the primary, wall and a lip OVGI'llttllglIlgbhfl secondary wall, said walls-flange and lip defining a hem -cavity for hemming under the edge of a fabric,

said lip beingmounted for retractive move- 'ment horizontally in order. to permit the completion of a circular hem without stoppingthe stitching mechanism. V

9. In combination Wlthxt stitch-forming mechanism a hemmer for hemming: under the edge of a fabric and having hem forming cavity, a laterally retractable lip over which a fabric is adapted. to pass'and under which it is folded for enabling circular hems to be completed without stopping the stitchforming mechanism. f

10. In a hemmer, a'body member having a hem-cavity and a slideway, aisecond Incinber'moun'ted to slide along said slideway and I including a lip definin' a portion of said hem-cavity when said lip is in normal operative position,- and means on said lip whereby it may be retracted from operative position automatically by the initial stitches in completingacircularhem.

7' 11.' Ina hemmer having a hem-cavity a lip defining a POIiJlOILOf'SttlCl hem-cavity and means including a spring. for yieldingly holding said lip in operative position, the force ofsaidspringbeing overcome by a reiractive movement of the lip permitting the uninterrupted completion of a circular a hemmer, a body member having vity and a slideway, a second memed to slide along said slideway, and a lip defining a portion of said hem-cavity when said lip is in normal opmative position, and means including an inclined edge on said lip whereby the lip may he ret icted by the initial stitches in compiet-ii a-circular hem.

In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism in clu l y a needle, a hemmer includinga priy or outer folding portion having a concave u 'iwardly extending guide-wall terminating in 111 overhanging flange, a complemental or inner folding portion over which a fabric is aoapted to pass having a concave upwardly extending wall facing the upwardly extending wall of the primary or outer folding portion and also having an overhanging lip, the concave upwardly extending wall of the inner folding portion being wholly disposed between the horizontal planes of the upper and lower limits of the concave upwardly extending guide wall of the outer folding portion, said lip being located in a plane below the overhanging flange and being also spaced from said flange, means permitting movement of the "lip toward and from said overhanging flanga'and a stop comprising a relatively fixed abutment and a projection fixedlyconnected with the lip for limiting the movement of the lip toward the flange of the outer folding portion.

14. In a hemmerfor turning under the edge of a tubular article preparatory to stitching, in combination, an adjustable outer section having a concave upwardly extending wall terminating in an overhanging flange, a similar oppositely disposed inner section having an overhanging lip arranged at a lower elevation than said overhanging flange and spaced therefrom to form a fabric receiving channel communicating with a hem cavity located below the lip and flange, and means permitting movement of said lip bodily in a right line only toward and away from said flange including a tongue and groove connection.

15. A sewing machine having stitch-forminw mechanism including a needle in com bination with a fabric guiding attachment having relatively movable parts one of which is located in front of the needle and obstructs the complete stitching of an endless seam and is adapted to be shifted automatically to an ineffective position by the initial stitches of an endless seam.

v 16. In a hemmer having a. hem-folding cavity, a lip defining a portion of said cavitv, and means-permitting said lip to be ior guiding and folding tubular or endless work in its passage to the stitch-forming mechanism, said hemmer having relatively movable portions one of which normally ol structs the complete stitching of an endless hem and may be shifted to an unobstructing position allowing complete stitching of the endless hem through the action ofthe initial stitches securing the folded material in hem-form.

18. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, in combination with a hemmer having at least one worlpcontrolling member located normally in obstructing position directly in advance of the needle, and means permitting displacement-of said work-controlling member in an ineffective position through the action of the initial stitches, whereby endless hems may be stitched completely without stopping the machine and without requiring the operator to manually shift said member.

19. In a sewing machlne, stitch-formlng mechanism including a needle, 1n combination with a fabric folding and guiding attachment having at least one active workcontrolling element normally occupying a position obstructingcomplete stitching of endless or tubular articles and in front of the needle, and yielding means for maintaining said element in its normal obstructing position, said yielding'me'ans being arranged to permit the initial stitches of an e'ndlesshem to overn the movement of said active controlling element to a position not obstructing the complete stitching of an endless hem.

20. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism ineluding a needle and a cloth-plate, a hemmer having relatively movable sections one of which. is in front of theneedle and across the line of seam-formation in an obstructing position and is also retractible from its stitch obstructing position, while the other section'is relatively fixed. and is provided with means for directing the inner edge of the hem after the movable section is-shifted from its stitch obstructing position on endless work.

21. In combination with a sewing ma chine having stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, an under hemmer having a relatively fixed section, a movable section in front of the needle across the line of seam-formation partly embraced by the fixed section and movable relative thereto, meanson the fixed section substantially in front of the needle determining the width ofthe hem and guiding the inner edge of cnanism, in combination with a hemmer the hem a uniform distance to one side of the needle, whereby shifting of the movable section to permit uninterrupted stitching or an endless hem will not alter the distance stitches are laid within the inner edge fold or" the hem.

22. In a machine for sewing endless hems, the combination with stitcltformingmechanism including a needle, and feeding mechanism, of a hemmer having a hem-cavity bounded by an outer curved guide-wall for turning and guiding the outer edgeiold of a hem and an inner guide-wall facing said outer guide-wall and disposed between the levels of the upper and lower limiting planes or" the outer the outer guide-wall and having a front edge extending across the line of seam-formation at the receiving end of the hemmer and an inner free edge extending lengthwise of the hem-cavity, said lip serving to :told in the inner orraw edge portion of the hem-fold and separate the hem-fold from the main body of the material being hemmed, said lip being mounted for dis outer curved guide-wall for turning and guiding the outer edge-fold of a hem and an inner guide-wall facing said outer guidewall and disposed between the levels of the upper and lower limiting planes of the outer guide-wall, said guide-Walls being uide-wall, a lip ex tending from the inner guide-wall toward able relative to said rigidly related guid'e-' wells and base member from its position between the hemold and the main body of the material to permit the initial stitches of an endless hem to pass through the hem mer to the needle. 7

24:. In a machine for sewing endless hems, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, and feeding mechanism, of a hemmer body having a hemcavity bounded by an outer curved guidewall for turning and guiding the outer edge-fold of a hem and an inner guide-wall facing said outer guide-wall and disposed between the levels of the upper and lower limiting planes of the outer guide-wall, a shitt'table lip having a bearing contact with the hemmer body externally of the space embraced between said walls and extendingvo from the inner guide-wall across the line of seam-formation toward the outer guidewall so as to fold in the inner or rawedge portion or" the hem-fold and separate the hem-fold from the main body of the material being hemmed, said lip having a range of movement on the hemmer body sufiicient to permit its displacement to a position removed from the hem-cavity and the line of seam-formation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. DE VOE.

Witnesses:

' WM. P. STEWART,

H. A. KORNEMANN, Jr. 

